Story Created:
Aug 18, 2010 at 1:41 PM PST
Story Updated:
Aug 18, 2010 at 1:41 PM PST
RENTON, Wash.—The Seattle Seahawks traded defensive end and former first-round pick Lawrence Jackson, the former USC and Inglewood High School standout, to the Detroit Lions Wednesday for an undisclosed draft choice in 2011.
A day after Jackson admitted he was in limbo in Seattle, the Seahawks announced they had traded away their 28th overall selection in 2008. Seattle general manager John Schneider was not on the job when the Seahawks drafted Jackson.
Neither was Pete Carroll, Jackson’s former coach at USC, or the rest of Seattle’s defensive staff. They are installing schemes that call for ends to be run stuffers or fast pass rushers, and Jackson has so far proven to be neither.
Former tackle Red Bryant has moved his 335-plus pounds to end on one side of the starting defense. Seattle traded this offseason with Philadelphia for former part-time linebacker Chris Clemons to be its pass-rushing end, then acquired 315-pound defensive tackle and end Kentwan Balmer from San Francisco Monday.
Jackson, who returned to practice Tuesday after missing a week with a bad hamstring, sensed he lost his place in Seattle’s defense this summer. The 6-foot-4, 270-pounder was not big enough to be the run-stopping end and is not yet enough of a proven pass rusher to become a specialist.
“I’m kind of in the middle of both extremes,” he said after Tuesday’s practice. “Everything is still up in the air right now.”
Not anymore. He’s headed to the Lions, cast off for a draft pick as Carroll and Schneider continue to turn over half of Seattle’s roster since January.
The pick Seattle is getting from Detroit is likely in the same low round next year as the one the Seahawks had just lost to the 49ers to get Balmer, who was drafted one choice behind Jackson in 2008.
Jackson started 24 of 31 games in his two seasons with Seattle. He had a career-high 4 1/2 sacks last season.
“Detroit showed strong interest in Lawrence and this provides him an opportunity to move forward while he is still early in his career,” Schneider said. “We wish him the best.”
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